Jesus the Christ: A Study of the Messiah and His Mission According to Holy; Scriptures Both Ancient and Modern
James E. (James Edward) Talmage
Jesus the Christ: A Study of the Messiah and His Mission According to Holy; Scriptures Both Ancient and Modern
James E. (James Edward) Talmage
ClassicsNonfictionBiography & MemoirReligion & Spirituality
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"Jesus the Christ" by James E. Talmage is a doctrinal study published in 1915. This comprehensive work explores the life and mission of Jesus Christ through 42 chapters, examining not only his mortal ministry but also his pre-mortal existence, post-resurrection appearances, and prophesied second coming. Written in longhand within the Salt Lake Temple, the book draws from ancient and modern scripture to present a Latter-day Saint perspective on the Messiah. It has become a classic text in Mormon literature, translated into many languages.
Contains spoilers for the entire book
- Themes
- Atmosphere
About the book
Published in 1915, Jesus the Christ is a study of the life and mission of Jesus by James E. Talmage, a geologist and educator who was then an apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He wrote it at the request of the church’s leaders, much of it in a room set aside for him in the Salt Lake Temple. Talmage follows the Gospel accounts closely, explaining their setting, customs and language, and places them within the wider framework of Latter-day Saint belief, from Christ’s role before his birth to his appearance in the Americas recorded in the Book of Mormon. The book has remained one of the most widely read doctrinal works in the church for more than a century.
Characters
Jesus Christ — Central religious figure
The subject of Talmage's account of the Messiah's life, teachings, and mission in Latter-day Saint theology.
Mary — Mother of Jesus
The mother of Jesus in the scriptural narrative, present from the birth accounts to the events of his ministry.
Joseph — Mary's husband
The guardian of Jesus during his childhood, described in the account of the holy family.
John the Baptist — Preacher
The prophetic figure who prepares the way for Jesus's ministry and baptizes him.
Peter — Apostle
A leading disciple whose faith and weaknesses receive sustained attention in the narrative.
Judas Iscariot — Apostle
One of the Twelve, whose dealings with the religious authorities shape the account of Jesus's arrest.
Pontius Pilate — Roman governor
The official who presides over the Roman proceedings against Jesus.
About the author
James E. (James Edward) Talmage
James E. Talmage (1862–1933) was a geologist, educator and leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, born in Hungerford, Berkshire, England. His family joined the church and emigrated to Utah in 1876. He studied science at Lehigh University and Johns Hopkins University, became a respected geologist, and served as president of the University of Utah in the 1890s. He was ordained an apostle in 1911 and remained a member of the church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles until his death. His theological writings, in particular The Articles of Faith (1899), The House of the Lord (1912) and Jesus the Christ (1915), are among the most influential doctrinal works of his church and are still widely read by its members. He died in Salt Lake City in 1933.